Verse

Saturday, October 1, 2011

A tidy house might be overrated

Lucy in front of a daily pile of laundry

I have decided it is OK for the house not to be perfect. I just asked M to straighten the blocks as I write this so I might be a bit off base but overall I am trying to let go a bit more on the household ambiance. I still try to keep clothes put away and the front room and kitchen tidy before I sleep. I have decided forts can be left up overnight, animal zoos left for playing with after school and clean diapers left on the bed for future folding. I have more fun hearing about a school story or having Daisy teach me ballet moves than vacuuming and washing the windows seems to happen a couple times a week rather than a couple times a day (as is actually needed, imagine 16 hands you get the idea). Sheff woke up early the other day and announced that life is short and we need to enjoy each day more fully. I squinted open one eye and wondered if an odd alien reversal had happened when we were sleeping. Usually I am the one with the lists and ideas and annoyingly peppy demeanor at 7am, what if my husband took on this persona? I wasn't sure how I would like it. But as luck would have it Sheff's epiphany has led to a "man cave" in the garage equipped with a new lat pull down machine and the desire to gain lots of pounds of muscle. I am not longer worried we switched personas. But I have decided to let up on the perfectionist leanings. I will make sure the house is tidy and kept up but I will put off vacuuming for a good story, let wash go an extra day and have a stack of papers on the counter at all times. Life is precious, kids grow fast, husbands build man caves and I don't want to miss any of it.